Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann Fire Eternal
by chaz4eva
Summary: This is the tale of a man who has his Destiny intertwined with that of a young girl of a different world. (OC Self-Insert)
1. Prologue

_This is the tale of a man who has his Destiny intertwined with that of a young girl of a distinct world. Saddened by her gruelling struggle to survive in her existence, she sees her last resort as nothing more than a surreal place to her own, but she cherishes every moment in observing the man who searches for his Destiny that beckoned him forth from his everyday routine. The never-ending battle to either defy Destiny or fulfil Destiny has allowed him to accomplish incredible feats that would be considered impossible. All she wishes is her life to be like his, so she could continue the fight for her own survival and learn of her rightful place. Residing herself to the place of her eternal isolation, she is unaware that Destiny will call upon her and intertwine her life of that of the man she so desires to become…_

Space. The ebony shroud that is infinite and consuming, unforgiving and immeasurable in every single way within the bounds of possibility. Even where the faintest glimmer of starlight cannot reach, space thrums with abundant life. Amongst the thousands and thousands of planets that harness the elements of life, their life's existence maintained by their steady orbit of their suns, we are amongst them. In the beginning, humanity considered our rocky world being based in the centre of the Universe, but since assuming this theory, the people of ancient times were proved wrong by man prospering the outer cosmos and beyond that by harnessing the power to explore the heavens with machines programmed with nothing more than a simple task: explore. What we've learned from exploring the outer cosmos as well as sightseeing the breathtaking aspects of beauty Earth possesses has since not answered the lifelong question that has been pestering at the minds of humankind since time itself began: Is there other life out there?

One thing seems certain though: the only place in this Solar System or the entire Universe harbouring life possessing mind power and the capability to evolve and adapt complicated enough to build a civilisation is here on planet Earth.

But why?

What is it that makes our world so special? After all, everything in our Solar System shares the same origin.

Our little corner of the galaxy was created out of nothing more than a spinning cloud of gas and dust millions of years ago. Solid worlds condensed out of the swirling mists, but each world is radically different. Across the Solar System there are worlds that erupt with volcanoes of sulphur and others of geysers of ice; there are worlds with rich atmospheres and swirling storms, and there are moons with surfaces sculpted from ice that conceal bodies of liquid water. But amidst all the wonders that this vast system has, there is only one world where the laws of physics have conspired to combine all these characteristics in one place.

Only on Earth are the temperatures and atmospheric pressure just right to allow oceans of liquid water to exist on the surface of the planet. Earth is big enough to have retained its molten core that not only powers geysers and mountains of spewing lava, but also produces our magnetic field that fends off the deadly solar winds and protects our thick, nurturing atmosphere.

It is the combination of all these wonders of the Solar System and the Universe beyond in one place that allowed life to begin and to get a foothold here on Earth. Yet to allow that life to evolve into such complex creatures as ourselves requires one more essential ingredient and that is time, deep time - the vast and sweeping vistas of time over which mountains rise and fall, planets are formed and stars live and die. When all is said and done, it is perhaps this that makes the Earth so rare and so precious in the cosmos, because it has been stable enough for long enough for life to develop into such magnificent complexity.

Life on Earth today is the result of hundreds of millions of years of stability, and the most remarkable, complex and wonderful component in this priceless and possibly uniquely sophisticated and interconnected ecosystem is us, humanity, a species that has developed to the point where we can bend and shape and change the world around us. We have already began to explore deeper into the outer cosmos that we had ever imagined. We are powerful, and with such great power comes great responsibility, for we are now the ultimate guardians of this world. Through our advanced intelligence, we possess the potential to protect, damage or destroy it as we chose, according to our desires and forever shifting dreams.

And it is a choice - a choice that is best informed by perspective.

We, steered by the passion discover whatever the outer cosmos is concealing from humanity's eyes; continue our cosmic journey, regardless of the horrible things that happen across our planet. Civilisations crumbled beneath the corrupted ways of their leaders. Those who rule over them are in complete control, ripping them of their free will and their power to act with purpose. They manipulate them like puppets, taking advantage of their mental flaws and eventually, the people they rule over lose the will to continue and so consider their battle to see a better tomorrow as futile. They unwillingly succumb to the corrupted ways of their rulers.

Poverty dominates many places across our planet. Humans, like you and me, are restricted to living in places where no one is safe. They have to dwell in these places as they have no choice. Confronted with many dangers, people of these places must tolerate unforgiving conditions, and amongst it, find a way to stay alive. The battle for survival seems unlikely to present any victors soon, but the people of these places do all share one thing in common, the determination to push forward, no matter how challenging life may be. Their determination is one of the few things that allow them to see a tomorrow, but it is one that is no better than the last. Determination is the fire that lights their path, but it is also mine.

This is my Destiny, to ignite the heavens ablaze and combine all the fires of courage that resides within every single one of us and with it, forge a path towards tomorrow… A better tomorrow for all life and I _will _fulfil it, no matter if my life is overshadowed with disdain, no matter if the path ahead is paved with people that will try to prevent me from achieving my dream. I will continue to fight as long as the magma that resides in my soul continues to burn with a mighty flame!

I know that one day that Destiny will call upon me, and that day, I will not defy Destiny, I will fulfil it, along with my dream to create a better tomorrow. I will follow in the footsteps of an extraordinary man, who fought against Destiny for the majority of his life, before he decided to fulfil it instead of trying to defy such a thing. His actions lifted millions from their pools of terror, and instilled or restored an attitude within their hearts: the will to fight.

He, accompanied by his friends, went against an enemy most bizarre, but was at the same time just as terrifying.

They threatened to set about eradicating the human race in cold blood for they had awakened a power that is incredibly powerful, but also deadly if overused. Their undeviating goal is to inflict absolute despair and terror upon those who had awakened this energy, believing terror and despair are the most powerful deterrents against the power's magnifying nature.

They annihilated all who were infected with terror, along with their awakened power and drove the few surviving life forms to the furthest corners of the Universe, where even the faintest of starlight cannot touch. But even with the fate of humanity hanging by a hair, the man confronted the enemy with great courage, an unbreakable fighting spirit that could not be swayed and a burning heart that contained the will to drive forwards.

Though I regard mine as insignificant compared to the man's, my burning heart and fighting spirit is what guides me on the two paths I embark on, the winding path of the Spiral and the burning path of eternal hellfire. With these two powers in my control, I will not fall captive into using them to satisfy my selfish desires and grow drunk on it, instead, I will use them to incinerate through the despair enshrouds me and continue the fight for survival and the existence for a better tomorrow for all life!

Just who the hell do you think I am?!

I AM ME, THE *ME* THAT I BELIEVE IN! I AM CHARLOTTE! CHARLOTTE THE DREAMER!

_Prologue_

"Shields are going down!" a technician called, tapping furiously at his terminal keyboard. "Mirror armour plating detaching!"

"We received severe hits in blocks 566 through 630," another one warned in a preoccupied tone. A blast illuminated the glittering heavens overhead, betraying the presence a arctic-white flag billowing in the cosmic winds. It was decorated with a flaming red skull, wearing V-shaped sunglasses.

"Damage?" a feminine voice asked in a neutral tone. She calmly walked to the front of the bridge.

The woman had swirls of dark chocolate-brown garlanding her face and was wearing a bright magma-red top with a brilliant white star in the centre accompanied with a pair of light orange leggings with brilliant white stars decorating down the sides. An obsidian-black belt, adorned with small studs and buckle, both burnished and argent-silver in colour, was strapped around her waist. A tall-necked, long, magma-red coat was draped over her shoulders with light silver studs adorning the sleeves and flames, coloured a molten yellow, decorating up the sleeves and up to her shoulders. On the back was emblazoned the same symbol that flew proudly on their fluttering pendant. Her eyes were concealed by a pair of bright magma-red, V-shaped sunglasses that shimmered in the light of explosions that raged on without cease around the starship. The sound of her heels clacking on the deck cut through the noise of chaotic bridge activity.

"Minimal, but our cloaking device is history!"

"Worry not," she replied, confidently striding forwards and standing next to her loyal commander, a man wearing a pale orange uniform who didn't look quite human, his eyes obscured by molten-yellow glasses that were settled upon the bridge of his nose. "What are we exactly facing?"

"Enemy fleet size is off the charts!" a female technician responded, looking at the blinking radar.

"So, all the lights in the heavens are our enemies now, huh?" she smirked, toying with a small transparent, drill-shaped pendant. A miniature galaxy of glittering, orange stars swirled with aimless elegance at its heart, giving the impression of a flickering flame. "They allowed their foolish beliefs to draw themselves into picking a fight with us. Not that I can blame them. Even though they've proven to be worthy adversaries, they aren't aware of whom I am!" She enclosed her hand around the drill-shaped pendant, her smirk widening. "I'll use the eternal burning hellfire of oblivion to burn them to the very last scrap of DNA!"

She looked at her commander and ordered, "Give the order. We begin our attack _now_!"

"Yes, ma'am!" The commander lifted his arm and yelled out an order. "Prepare the Maelstrom Cannon! Target the Great Dimensional Waterfall!" Nobody questioned or challenged the order, even if some of the crew members had concerned looks on their faces.

One even dared to mutter, "I don't like where this is going…"

"Gurren Lagann, SPIN ON!" she exclaimed, smugly crossing her arms. "Just who the hell do you think I am?!"

Winds lifted her cape and her hair billowed in the breeze as the giant vessel began to transform, panels retracting to reveal a colossal complex of mass destruction weapons. The ends of the gigantic cannons, highlighted with three rings of bright magma-red, accumulated energy, manifesting as a deep, iridescent crimson glow within the barrels. They finally unleashed the collected energy and a massive explosion engulfed everything in sight.

_The time has come for Destiny to call upon the girl of another world…_


	2. Chapter 1: A Rude Introduction

A brilliant light exploded in my face, piercing through the warm darkness that surrounded me. My eyes cracked open, squinting in slight pain at the harassing radiance. My mind, sluggish with sleep, struggled to focus. Feeling disgruntled with my slumber being rudely disturbed, I attempted to bury my face into my pillow, moaning in protest for more sleep, but the devilish light of the sun begged for justice to win over me. Knowing that the sun would conquer me without me putting up a decent fight, I reluctantly opened my eyes, slowly adjusting to the dim light of my bedroom. Despite how tired I still felt, a sigh of happiness escaped me, fragments of my amazing dream lingering in my mind.

I had been dreaming about Gurren Lagann… fighting against Beastmen with Simon and Kamina while using my own Gunmen, Infernus, to remind them who they were dealing with: Team Dai-Gurren.

Gurren Lagann is an awesome anime that has firstly fascinated me since seeing videos of it on YouTube while browsing through my favourites. It takes place in a fictional future where Earth is ruled by the Spiral King, Lordgenome, who forces mankind to live in isolated subterranean villages. These villages have no contact with the surface world or other villages, and are under constant threat of earthquakes. Selected villagers called diggers are conscripted to expand their homes deeper underground. Simon, a meek young digger ostracised by his peers, finds solace in his best friend and older brother figure, an eccentric delinquent named Kamina. Kamina recruits Simon to his gang, Team Gurren, to help him achieve his dream of visiting the surface world. One day, Simon unearths a drill-shaped key called a Core Drill, followed by a small mecha resembling a face called a Gunmen. Shortly thereafter, a giant Gunmen crashes through the ceiling and begins attacking the village, followed by a girl named Yoko who attempts to repel the Gunmen. Simon uses his Core Drill to activate the smaller Gunmen, which receives the name Lagann from Kamina, and it is used to destroy the larger Gunmen and break through to the surface world.

Simon and Kamina learn from Yoko that humans on the surface are attacked each day by Gunmen piloted by Beastmen, humanoid creatures who serve as Lordgenome's army. Kamina hijacks a Gunmen and names it Gurren, combining it with Simon's Lagann to form the mecha Gurren Lagann. Their actions inspire other humans to steal their own Gunmen and join Team Gurren, which Kamina renames Team Dai-Gurren. Eventually Team Dai-Gurren captures an enemy Gunmen fortress to use as their base of operations, though Kamina is killed in the preceding battle. Simon sinks into depression following Kamina's death when he meets Nia, Lordgenome's daughter. Team Dai-Gurren is initially distrustful of her, but allows her to join when it becomes apparent that she was abandoned by her father. Nia helps Simon come to terms with Kamina's death, and he takes up the role as Team Dai-Gurren's leader, leading them to defeat Lordgenome and the Beastman army.

Seven years pass after Lordgenome's demise and the ending of the war and mankind prospers on the surface world with Simon and the members of Team Dai-Gurren serving as the world's government. As soon as the world's population reaches one million people, an alien race called the Anti-Spirals emerges and uses Nia to announce the moon's collision with Earth, which will wipe out all life on the planet and prevent them from evolving to such an extent that they will risk destroying the universe in a cataclysmic event called the Spiral Nemesis. With guidance from a resurrected Lordgenome, who had hidden mankind underground to protect them from the Anti-Spirals, Team Dai-Gurren prevents the moon's collision and heads off in pursuit of the Anti-Spirals' homeworld, with the assistance of achieving a coordinate lock originating from the only thing that remained of the Nia Simon knew and loved, her ring.

Whenever I think of Lagann or Simon, a little giggle, almost hysterical, manages to escape me, despite how hard I resist not just go into a unbridled fit of uproarious fangirling.

My phone, a snow-white Blackberry, suddenly went off, blaring out a clangourous morning call. I nearly fell out of the bed, letting out a shrill shriek of fright. My heart hammering, I looked over the edge of my crumpled duvets and glared irritably at the flashing screen of my pearl white phone, seeing the time was 9:00am. Breathing heavily and returning to my miserable mood, I reached down and unplugged the charger from it, pressing the back button to stop the ear-splitting wail. The alarm immediately ceased after I had returned to the home screen. A soft smile played on my face as I gazed at my background, the cast of Gurren Lagann, or rather that, the mechas of Gurren Lagann: Gurren Lagann, the main mecha, Gimmy's and Darry's Gulaparls, Jorgun's and Balinbow's Twinboekun and Kittan's King Kittan. As my eyes drifted over Kamina, my smile faltered and a soft, sorrowful sigh escaped my lips.

Kamina… He was one of my favourite characters besides Simon and Lagann until he died in episode eight. Team Dai-Gurren was deeply scarred by their tragic loss. Without Kamina to make the occasional light-hearted joke or make a passionate, manly speech, I didn't know what to do. I even decided to leave Gurren Lagann for a week to learn to accept that Kamina wouldn't be there anymore and probably to sulk in my sorrow.

But thinking about that wasn't going to stop me from continuing my amazing journey with them. Despite having finished the anime in a few days, I loved watching my favourite moments again and again, just to make me experience the feeling of true amazement and love I always feel for Gurren Lagann.

Turning my phone to sleep, I placed it in my top pocket and pulled back the duvet, shivering as the chilly air touched my exposed skin. I swung my legs the side of the bed and slowly rose to my feet. Wobbling slightly from still being tired, I yawned widely, raising my arms above my head and arching my back in a luxurious stretch. I held that position for a little longer, hearing the soft pops as my joints stretched out. I then slumped over and heaved out a long sigh.

_Hello reality… goodbye dream. _I thought glumly, staring at my crumpled duvet and pillows. They looked so inviting, but, I looked forward on watching more Gurren Lagann.

I wasn't expecting a hug or even a "good morning" from Mum as she never paid much attention me anymore. The only things she did were tormenting me and calling me names. She wasn't always like this… She used to be loving, kind and understanding. It was a few months after her and Dad separated after a massive row. I was looking for something in the cardboard under the stairs and suddenly heard the soft tinkling of glass coming from the back of the cardboard. I shoved and moved things out of the way and discovered a tattered box filled with glass bottles. That when I realised what she had been doing. She had been drinking. She _never _drank! When she returned home after work, I confronted her and told her about my discovery.

Her reaction shocked me.

She _slapped _me. She had hit her own daughter around the face while screaming incoherent nonsense.

I felt tears of pain streaming down my cheeks and tried to turn away, but Mum grabbed me by the scruff of my top and shrieked in my face, "I TOLD YOU NEVER TO SNOOP IN MY BELONGINGS!"

The tears began pouring faster down my face. I writhed and struggled desperately in her grip, attempting to wrench myself free, but she refused to release me and merely tightened her grasp.

"M-Mum, please! I-I… I didn't mean to look! L-Let me go…!" I wailed in desperation.

"NO! YOU'RE EVEN THE SLIGHTEST BIT SORRY, YOU INSOLENT BRAT! I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES!" she screamed in a high-pitched, infuriated voice.

She continued scream incoherently at me for the next few minutes before she carelessly dumped me on the ground in a crumpled, wailing heap. I couldn't believe what she had just done… she was my mum for god sake! As I scrambled shakily to my feet while softly whimpering, Mum told me to get out of her sight. She threatened to hit me again, and but, I quickly ran out the room before she could, more tears trickling down my face as I slowly scaled up the stairs, every painful step causing my body to sing in agony.

And it's been like that since that night she slapped me.

Since then, I've grown more distant from the outside world, usually locking myself in my bedroom to conceal myself from the horrors of my life. I would usually bury my agony and despair beneath heaps of drawings of Gurren Lagann and watching the anime for the majority of the day until it was time for bed, for that seemed to be the only escape from my horrible world.

Gurren Lagann was my last resort and did I think my life was empty? Yes, I did. I was forced to abandon my dream because the constant torment made me believe I didn't have the strength to do such a feat. I had barely any strength to reason with Mum and I have barely any to live my miserable life. My despair was a constant reminder how there would always be people to prevent me from achieving my dream and how I never could possess the strength to overcome them… My dream was to ignite the heavens ablaze and forge a path towards tomorrow that would not waver when exposed to despair. It seemed impossible to achieve in a world such as my own, but Gurren Lagann helped restore that belief… that small ember of hope inside me… that one day, my life would no longer be the way it was and I would truly discover my rightful place in this world. I would possess the strength to ignore those who would attempt to discourage me and my heart would drive me onwards. I always reminded myself of Kamina's words to brighten up my day:

"Never forget… Don't believe the you that I believe in. Don't believe in the me that you believe in. Have faith in the you that believes in yourself."

Smiling at the thought at I would feel that familiar comfort wherever I watched the anime, I walked over to my wardrobe and opened the doors, looking forwards for the long weekend ahead.

XXX

After I had gotten dressed in my normal attire and freshened up with a super speedy shower, I headed downstairs, not surprised by the lack of the presence of Mum. I stumbled across a note as I entered the kitchen, lying on the table, for me. Picking it up, I read what it said:

_Charlotte, _

_Me and a few of my girly friends have gone out for the weekend and I won't be back until midnight Monday, so be a good girl and don't be a annoying little brat and snoop through my belongings, okay? You can just go and crawl into that dark room of yours and spend hours on end without even seeing the light of day watching that silly cartoon you so love. _

_See you soon,_

_Mum_

My heart uplifted a little moment there. I wouldn't need to see her face for a three whole days!

Screwing up the piece of paper and throwing it into the recycling, I sorted myself out some breakfast, a few slices of toast, covered with butter and raspberry jam. Carrying my toast into the front room, I grabbed the remote control with my other hand and dropped myself down onto the lounger. I leaned back into the soft pillows with a content sight and switched on the TV. The screen flickered to life, showing a trailer for a new detective series. I didn't bother to watch and I turned it over onto Cartoon Network. A grin spread across my face when I realised Transformers Prime had just started. The familiar theme song filled the air and I couldn't resist humming alongside it.

Setting the remote down beside me, I began to tuck into my toast, watching in contentment as the Autobots waged battle with Shockwave, both sides trying desperately to retrieve a fossilised jaw of a Predacon. A Predacon was like a dinosaur in some sense, with being extinct and all, but Predacons took the forms of creatures of myth and legend, like dragons and griffins. I found so awesome!

I didn't bother keeping track of the time until I watched the credits roll up the screen and heard the show's theme song. Finishing my last piece of toast and licking my lips clean of crumbles; I rose to my feet and heaved out a long, content sigh. I turned off the TV, walked out of the front room and into the kitchen. I placed my plate in the dishwasher and rushed back upstairs, eager to begin my day with my favourite anime. I got out my portable DVD player and my Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann disc from under a huge pile of pictures and comics I couldn't be bothered to finish and picked up my SONY headphones from my dressing table. I carried my stuff over to my bed, only to realise I hadn't made it yet. Huffing in exasperation, I deposited my stuff at the end of the bed straightened out the duvet before arranging my pillows in their usual array.

Sure, it was still looking a little crumpled and dishevelled, but I was happy with it.

Giving a little nod of approval, I sat down cross-legged and pulled my DVD player onto my lap, untangling my headphones' knots and placing them over my ears so at least I would be able to hear Simon's and Kamina's voices. Whenever I heard their voices, my spirits were always brighter and the small ember of hope inside me would always fan up to a bright and brilliant flame. I turned on my DVD player and the screen flickered to life. A single tendril of hair rested against my nose, and I went a little cross-eyed to stare at it and irritably blew out of my face.

The familiar theme song of the anime _Sorairo Days __played in my ears and I hummed alongside it, grinning like an idiot when Gurren Lagann appeared as it always did the intro, pummelling Gunmen after Gunmen into scrap. Glowing green drills emerged from all about the mecha's body and it spun rapidly, whipping up a tornado that caused enemy Gunmen to collide with each other and explode in a spectacular explosion. The episode started and I became enveloped in the sheer epicness of their world, silently wishing I could join them in their adventures and escape the misery of my own dull and horrible world. _

I continued watching in silent awe until the moment in the episode came when Lagann was surrounded by the inhabitants of Littner. A soft sigh of longing escaped me as I was presented with a close-up of my favourite Gunmen, Lagann. It stood around the same height as a fully-grown human and the Gunmen's face was bared a very striking resemblance to a human's face with its yellow eyes, nose and mouth. There was a circular cavity in its forehead and its cockpit was big enough to accommodate a pilot and one passenger.

As the thought of Lagann ran through my mind, my DVD player's colourful screen went black. My eyes widened in shock. What?! NO! What the hell just happened?!

In confusion and slight anger, I tried to shut the DVD player; but it wouldn't budge. I blinked, and frowned, already beginning to well up in the corners of my eyes. Ugh… I was such an easy crier… Anyways, I looked at the dead screen in utter confusion and irritation. Why the hell was it…?

I gasped in terror as suddenly the screen exploded in a burst of blinding light. I thought I heard myself scream, but I was deaf to all sounds. It was as if the flash had rendered all but my sight useless. I tried to pull my eyes away, but they were riveted in place. As I continued to stare into the bright oblivion, an unfamiliar voice whispered softly in my ear, "_Destiny will call upon you…_"

And before I knew it, there was a surprisingly warm numbing sensation and everything dissolved into darkness. It was as if the world no longer existed, without thought or imagination. The world I once knew had been shattered like a broken mirror, the tiny fragments that remained spiralling away into the black abyss I had succumbed to.

I had no idea what was going on…

But I was unaware of whatever just happened was going to change my life forever.


End file.
